Senator Miche?l Carrrigy:

I welcome our colleague, Councillor Sweeny, from Donegal. As a politician, he works extremely hard on behalf of his constituents.

I was running in because I have just come back from the Mansion House where there was a presentation from SMA Ireland. This is an issue I raised in the House some months back with regard to the heel prick test used in Ireland that does not identify a significant number of possible diseases. Particularly with spinal muscular atrophy, SMA, it is not done. Unfortunately for children who then show signs of SMA, it is too late. We have the medical know-how to help these kids. If they do not get that help within the first number of weeks after they are born, however, they cannot benefit from it. In a list of countries in Europe, we, who consider ourselves a first world country, are 20th with regard to the number of diseases covered by the heel prick test. I ask that that be reviewed and, in particular for SMA, where we have the medical to treat kids and give them a good quality of life, we should be putting it in place. I met families today and know others personally at home for whom it is too late because that has not been put in place. The cost is €5 per test, roughly €300,000 per year on the basis of the fact that 60,000 children are born each year. I ask that this matter be brought to attention of the Minister for Health.

I come from Longford. For a small county, we excel at many things. Unfortunately, however, we do not win many all-Irelands. The Longford Slashers ladies team will contest the All-Ireland intermediate club final on Saturday at Croke Park against Mullinahone from Tipperary. I look forward to them being successful. As a small club that has only been in existence for a few years, they have brought great honour to our county. I wish them well and look forward to them bringing back all-Ireland success to Longford.